Ibanez Wants To Stay With Yankees; News Corp. Securing Stake In YES?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Raul Ibanez says he’ll have a connection with the Yankees “forever.”

Still, he wants to extend his current relationship with the franchise for at least one more year. The clutch slugger told the New York Post that his top choice in free agency would be to remain in New York.

“I know they have certain needs that they need to go after first,” Ibanez told the paper. “I’m open to anything. I’m looking forward to an opportunity to play in The Bronx again. That would be great.”

“Every day I woke up and I was excited to go to the ballpark and see my teammates and be a part of the team,” Ibanez told the Post. “There’s just an amazing experience and a special environment that they have going on as far as the clubhouse goes inside of that locker room. It’s a great place to play and to work.”

The Yankees, with many decisions to make this offseason, could receive a sizable cash infusion from talks with News Corporation, which is “on the verge” of nabbing a non-controlling stake in the YES Network, according to the New York Times.

News Corp. would add “up to 49 percent” of the network to its holdings, which include Fox News, Fox Sports and The Wall Street Journal, the Times reported.

The acquisition price was “based on a valuation of the channel at slightly more than $3 billion,” the Times reported. Forbes valued the Yankees franchise at $1.85 billion in March.

We know you want Raul back in the Bronx — but how much cash does he deserve? Be heard in the comments below…